Struise Pannepot

Brewed by De Struise Brouwers
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Oostvleteren, Belgium

A geyser upon opening with sugar and alcohol hitting me in the face from a foot and a half away. Doesn’t have a nose you could lose yourself in, but quite nice. Raisiny brown sugar upon first taste with a very mild alcohol chaser and some molasses there on the back end as well. Palate is a bit thick for my taste, but if slightly cloying stickness is to your taste, this thing has body to burn. Almost reminds me of some richer American sweet stouts. It’s saving grace is that it has Belgian yeast in spades, so even though it’s a powerful brew, you get the underlying apple-white grape thing and that just adds to the complexity. Very good.

2006 33 Bottle. Pours deep dark brown with a mocha creamy head the fades fast into thin craters. Wonderful aroma of nutty varnish, vinegar, & nutmeg. Dark molasses, nuts, spice, sweet rich malt, brown sugar, burned toffee, dark fruits, and well hidden alcohol. Milk chocolate, sherry, tobacco & raisin finish, ever so slightly bitter. This one’s got everything, its an acid trip of flavors. Very syrupy, nice light fine carbonation, except not enough to match the viscosity of the body, which makes it more of a dessert beer. I kinda want to pour it over pancakes. This stuff is very very good. After a while it starts to take on some Imp Stout characteristics. This is not beer (ale) contrary to what is says on the label, but rather delicious delicious candy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2007 33 Bottle enjoyed 1/12/09 lot B 7 BB. Noticeably more varnish in the aroma, more on the sour side. Flavors not quite as developed, still very very tasty, definitely more on the flemish brown/sour side of things, a lot more acid than I remember. Not as dark and viscous as the 2006 bottles, light and airy... I almost thought I opened a bottle of the Danish version by mistake...??? Supremely drinkable. 10.5.10.4.18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2007 33 bottle enjoyed 9/19/09 lot A 2 CC. Been way too long since I opened a Pannepot. Pours a dark dark unclear tootsie-roll color with a huge tall foamy light tan head 4.5. Oooooooo!!! I love the aroma. It brings me right back to the farm. I close my eyes and it’s almost like being there. Ridiculously unique spicy rich aroma, a little milky this time, the roast barley is magnificent, varnish, peanut butter, nutty, hay, vinous, tootsie-roll chocolate, milk duds 9. First sip, mmmm, what?, mmm, thinking thinking, been a while since I’ve had one of these, takes a second to acclimate to the strong unique taste once again, rich dark syrup, grassy chocolate, lots of fruit this go, sweet dark fruits, rum cake, molasses, spices that I’m not even going to begin to guess at, I definitely see the stout influences this time, some light acidity, finishes very rich with bitter tobacco and rum raisin aftertaste. Medium/full bodied, closer to full, somewhat viscous and syrupy but with lots of corse carbonation. Again, I’ve discovered that even 60F is too cold, room temperature is a must for beers of this complexity. I desperately want to get my hands on some more pannepeut now as I’m down to my last bottle. 9.5.9.4.17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [rerate 2007 bottle A 1 CC, enjoyed 12/10/09] 8.5.8.4.17 Very dark and plumy, has some odd oxidation, quite rich oily round and full, this seems to be getting much closer to the Trappist than it has been in years past with the round plumy yeast quality. Oxidation and grassiness make this one not nearly as good as other bottles. My faith is unwavering, this is still one of my favorite beers.

Very enjoyable, yet uncharacteristic for what I was expecting. Warmth generates from the nose, with some zesty garden spices, and then some madeirized sweetness. Lots of sweet malt flavor with an ample amount of dark fruits, and spices, with the yeastiness showing through as well. Tobacco and black tea leaves, brown sugar and a small hint of spicy fruitiness. A sweet creamy treat, with a flavor of orange marmalade and chocolate truffles. Very well balanced acidity and mouthfeel. I would drink this again if I had the opportunity.

From enjoyit via trade. Thanks again, Svend. The pour was super dark brown with hints of crimson. The head was a compact, off-white stream of tight, tight bubbles that quickly faded into a galaxy swirl atop my glass. Light lacing. The aroma was chocolate, raisins, yeast, malt, spices and even some port or wine characteristics. At one point I got a hint of orange zest as well. The flavor was chocolate, thin red wine, malt and spice. Tight carbonation provides a silky mouthfeel and the finish is nice. A dynamic aroma.

In a 33cl bottle, served in a tulip glass. Pours with little or no head and the hint of a lace ring around the glass. If you can find a bright enough light it is a deep ruby although perhaps not entirely clear. The nose is very inviting, no hint of alcohol, just a warm caramel and raisin invitation to take the plunge. The initial sip was as the nose indicated, plus a smooth and thick as silk body, very pleasant feel and taste, a sweet caramel coupled with the hint of raisins. The finish goes right along with everything else, very pleasant, but no lingering aftertaste, just a desire to pick up the glass and taste again. A wonderful beer.

Bottle. Huge thanks to my buddy Andy who brought this back from Amsterdam. Pours a chestnut brown with medium tan head. Aroma is of sweet malts and figs with spices. Very smooth, complex flavor. Figs, raisins, vanilla, and sherry. Great stuff. I would love to get more.

Bottle from Ebenezer’s, Lovell, Maine. An intensely unique beer - I’ve had nothing like it. Dark brown with red highlights, overwhelming, fine-bubbled tan head, great lacing - absolutely beautiful. Strong fruit and spice aroma: sweetness from plums and raisins predominant, a slight tinge of light toffee. Some great clove and licorice complexity. Taste is much the same, with lingering spice and fruit overlaying an intensely sweet (but not cloying) malt backbone. Brown sugar and caramel balance clove and nutmeg. Slightly tannic or winey presence that really takes hold in the Danish version (which I prefer). Really no alcohol presence whatsoever. Nicely thick mouthfeel despite a good deal of very fine but very fierce carbonation. Great, great beer both objectively and just as a testament to some very unique, wonderful brewing from Struise.

330 ml. euro bottle, notched lot reference along the right side of the label, sampled in a tulip glass. L: Lusciously deep dark woody brown with a robust tan head of tight creamy foam that leaves behind a good deal of curtain-like lace, an appealing start. S: Clove licorice, figs, prunes, raisins, over ripened dark cherries, dark candied sugars, coconut shavings, herbs and spices, a rich and complex nose that is full of delectable scents. F&T: Alcoholic, but malt chewy, firm carbonation gives the moderate body a nice creaminess. Delicious tasting, caramel and brown sugar, licorice, burnt dark malts, figs, dates, prunes, cherries, woody nuttiness, spices and herbs, the flavors just go on and on. Finishes dry with lingering tastes of spice, medicinal herbal alcohol and candied sugars. A delightfully pleasant, easy sipping quadrupel, the perfect warming libation for a subzero wind chill winter night.